Respecting The Opponent

A good sign for any chess player is if they respect their opponents. There are some who might regard the opposition as nothing more than obstacles to one’s competitive glory, but there’s an altogether different way of looking at this.

If chess is primarily a means of personal development then the opponent must be a vital part of the process. A good opponent raises the bar and drives us to search for greater insight into both the game and ourselves.

When this viewpoint is shared by both players then chess becomes a wonderful thing. It’s also not too bad for those pursuing personal development even if their opponents want to exterminate them en route to a dinner for their ego. But where it becomes destructive and empty is when the winning and personal glory leaves room for nothing else.

Here anyway is a video clip on the matter which shows that chess is not the only field in which this is an issue:

About NigelD

Nigel Davies is an International Chess Grandmaster living in St. Helens in the UK. The winner of 15 international tournaments he is also a former British U21 and British Open Quickplay Champion and has represented both England and Wales on several occasions. These days Nigel teaches chess through his chess training web site, Tiger Chess, which has articles, recommendations, a monthly clinic, videos and courses. His students include his 15 year old son Sam who is making rapid progress with his game.
Besides teaching chess, Nigel is a registered tai chi and qigong instructor and runs several weekly classes.